Labour group deletes leaflet after complaint over use of council logo
Emily Price
A county council’s ruling Labour group has deleted a party political leaflet posted online which used the local authority’s official logo.
The leaflet was published to the Caerphilly Borough Labour Councillor’s Facebook page on Wednesday (July 15).
It featured an image of Labour Councillor and Cabinet Member for Education and Communities Carol Andrews with the headline: “Plaid Cymru at war on education”.
It included quotes directly attacking the newly elected Plaid Cymru Welsh Government and criticised ministers for recent funding proposals.
Plaid’s supplementary budget was defeated in the Senedd on Tuesday (July 14) after Labour MSs refused to support the spending plans because of a dispute with teaching unions.
The National Association of Head Teachers and Association of School and College Leaders criticised the government over a pay deal and funding for children with additional learning needs (ALN).
Labour’s leaflet described Plaid’s decision as “completely indefensible” and accused ministers of punishing Wales’ most vulnerable pupils.
Its design used Caerphilly County Borough Council’s trademark red and green colours and featured the local authority’s official logo and “working for our communities” slogan.
It did not include Labour’s logo or any mention of the political party.
In the comments section beneath the post, questions were raised about whether the leaflet was an official statement on behalf of the council, or Labour councillors in Caerphilly.
The page responded confirming it was a statement from Cllr Andrews in her capacity as a Labour councillor and cabinet member.
One commentator asked why a statement on behalf of a Labour councillor has been presented without any party political branding.
Leader of the Plaid Cymru group in Caerphilly, Councillor Charlotte Bishop, said the post was “blatantly” party political and should not have referred to the local authority.
She submitted a complaint to the council’s Chief Executive, Ed Edmunds, telling him: “The leaflet contains clear political messaging directed at Plaid Cymru, yet prominently displays the council’s corporate logo and branding.
“As this appears to be party-political material rather than an official Council publication, I am concerned that the council’s identity may have been used in a way that could imply institutional endorsement or compromise the council’s duty of political impartiality.”
Cllr Bishop called on Council Leader Jamie Pritchard to remove the leaflet from social media and apologise.
She said: “We can’t have a situation where the Labour Party is trying to legitimise its argument by using the council’s logo and that is not acceptable.”
The post was later updated with a leaflet that did not include the council’s logo.
Cllr Pritchard said: “The Plaid group in Caerphilly should direct their fury at their own government.
“Plaid has united teaching unions and the whole of local government against them with their raid on Additional Learning Needs.
“With NAHT Cymru and ASCL Cymru jointly declaring a collective trade dispute with the Welsh Government over ALN and teachers pay.
“I would urge the Plaid group to listen to the groundswell of public opinion and urge their government to do the right thing for pupils with Additional Learning Needs.
“I’ve got a bad feeling the local party are prepared to go along with anything their government does, even if that means raiding ALN.”
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Usual tactic of Labour when caught out. The use of deflection. The leader of the Labour group should be censored by the standards committee for playing political games with the council’s logo and signage. They know the rules.